What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a treatment performed with high-pressure oxygen, which aids in the process of healing diseased or damaged tissues. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is based on the premise that healing is accelerated when more oxygen is made available to the tissues of a body than it can take in under normal atmospheric conditions. The benefits from HBOT result from the unique conditions produced within the chamber. Among its many benefits are the reduction of edema, immune stimulation, growing of new blood vessels (neoangiogenesis), anti-inflammatory and tissue repairing properties and shortening of healing time after soft tissue injuries or surgery. Equine and Animal Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (AHOT) is the application of 100% Oxygen, at pressures that are twice as high as occur in the normal atmosphere, to a horse or other animal within a sealed chamber. This drives pure Oxygen through the lungs into the blood plasma, raising Oxygen levels up to 15 times over normal levels. This delivers extraordinary amounts of oxygen to every cell in the body, activating many latent metabolic and genetic processes, allowing healing to occur more quickly and effectively. Athletic performance horse training and other stresses produce micro-traumas in muscle, fascia, tendon and nerve fibers as well as the lungs. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can promote healing of these micro-traumas from the inside at an accelerated rate. Do your horse and yourself a favor and utilize state-of-the-art AHOT.

What are the mechanisms of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can be used to treat conditions which benefit from increased tissue oxygen availability. When a horse or animal breathes pure oxygen at pressure ranging from two to three atmospheres, arterial oxygen tension rises from its normal 90 mmHg to as much as 1,800 mmHg. Due to the increased tension and introduction of 100% oxygen, large amounts of oxygen are dissolved in the plasma. Up to 15 times as much oxygen will be delivered to tissues than under normal atmospheric circumstances. During this time, white cells are better able to kill bacteria in infected tissues and bacterial proliferation is inhibited. Collagen and fibroblasts are laid down to create a base for new capillary development improving the quality of wound healing (less scar tissue production) and significantly accelerating the speed of healing.

How long has this treatment been available?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has been used successfully in human medicine since 1955. Medical doctors first used it to reduce the effects of radiation therapy on human cancer patients. Over the past fifty years medical doctors have expanded the use of HBOT dramatically to improve the treatment and rehabilitation regimens for soft and hard tissue injuries, strokes, carbon monoxide poisoning, Lyme Disease, burns, skin and tissue grafts, post-surgical recovery, circulatory problems, slow-healing wounds, traumatic brain injuries, superficial and deep infections, and much more. During the past 10 years Veterinarians have applied this technology to equine medicine and have found that many of the same benefits can be achieved for horses and animals. Now Equine AHOT is typically used as an adjunct therapy to compliment traditional veterinary/surgical/post-surgical treatments for enhanced management and improved outcomes of both acute and chronic conditions in horses. It is currently one of the fastest growing methods of non-invasive treatment in equine veterinary medicine and rehabilitation.

What is the Chamber like?

Equine and Animal Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is administered in a private setting, in the largest state-of-the-art, Equine Oxygen Therapy, Inc. mono-animal chamber. There are closed circuit video cameras and several clear glass ports that allow our trained technicians to closely monitor the animal. The treatment is painless. At times the animal may feel a sensation of pressure in their ears, which is similar to what they may feel when being shipped in a pressurized airplane cabin. The treatment is administered by loading a horse into the chamber much like it is loaded into a horse trailer. Once the horse is comfortable within the chamber, the door is sealed and pure oxygen is pumped into the chamber while the regular air (80% Nitrogen, 20% Oxygen) within the chamber is vented. The pressure within the chamber is then gradually increased to 2-2.5 times normal atmospheric pressure. The mechanical effect of the increased pressure drives the oxygen into the lungs, saturating the red blood cells and even the blood plasma, which increases the oxygenation of all the tissues in the animal’s body by as much as 15 times the normal level. The horse is maintained in this pressurized, oxygenated environment for the duration of the treatment (typically 60-90 minutes). When the treatment is finished the chamber is slowly depressurized, the door is opened and then the horse is guided out of the chamber and back into his stall.

Are there any side effects?

Side effects from undergoing AHOT are extremely rare. The main side effect of oxygen toxicity is ameliorated because our referring Veterinarians rarely use intensive protocols that risk this side effect. Other potential side effects such as pressure getting trapped in the sinuses while the animal or horse has a sinus infection are communicated by animal behaviors during a treatment and an animal in pain is reversed and brought back to normobaric conditions as quickly as possible.

How many treatments will your Horse need?

The frequency and duration of treatments will be determined by the prescription given by your attending Veterinarian. Some emergency or elective, non-medical cases such as performance training recovery programs require only a few treatments, while other wound-healing and infection cases may require 20-40 treatments due to the gradual healing process. Horses coming without a prescription for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy may contact our facility and schedule a consultation with one of our referring Veterinarians.

Did you know that Lance Armstrong utilized Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy twice daily when in heavy training?

Why Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Whether dealing with horses who are suffering from an infection or an injury or are “bleeders,” a quick return to sound performance work or top racing form is your first priority. Horses treated with AHOT typically heal in half the normal time and with fewer adhesions and less scarring. As a result performance horses can often stay in top form longer than they would have without treatment (see “Masterpiece” article in the Gallery section). Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can even be life saving when standard treatments have failed. When dealing with anaerobic infections the antimicrobial effects of elevated oxygen perfusion in infected tissues and enhanced white blood cell activity can speed recovery. When trying to enhance wound and injury recovery AHOT stimulates fibroblast activity and collagen deposition, thus maximizing wound healing and also stimulates growth of healthy capillary beds into injured and torn tissues.

Equine conditions commonly treated with AHOT

The following conditions have generally been found to respond well to the application of Equine and Animal Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy:

• Enhanced Athletic Performance Recovery
• EIPH or “Bleeders” (Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage)
• Azoturia / Exertional Rhabdomyolysis or “Tying Up”
• Large and slow-healing wounds
• Anaerobic Infections
• Enhanced Antimicrobial effect for infections
• Infections not responding to antibiotic therapy
• Enhanced post-surgical recovery
• Colic (post-surgical)
• Staph, Rhodococcus and Salmonella infections
• Superficial and Internal Abscesses
• Dummy Foals (Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy)
• Decreased Fertility (mare and stallion)
• Endotoxic Shock
• Tissue Necrosis (snake or spider bites)
• Thermal burns and Smoke Inhalation
• Central Nervous System Trauma
• Shin Splints
• Head and Peripheral Nerve Trauma
• Laminitis
• Lymphangitis and severe Edema or “Big Fat Leg”
• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
• Suspensary Desmitis and Tendonitis (ligament and tendon injuries)
• Septic Arthritis (Joint III in Foals)
• Severe Trauma / Edema (biting, kicking or falling injuries)
• Circulation Disorders

These are just a few of the applications in which AHOT has been used effectively in equine medicine. New research is being conducted all over the world and new applications are being developed as this exciting new research and information emerges.

Most common reasons for AHOT:

1. Athletic Performance Preparation

2. Athletic Performance Recovery / Shipping Recovery

3. Post Operative Recovery / Post Shockwave Recovery

4. Tissue Repair/Anti-Inflammatory / Chronic Conditions / Laminitis

5. Ligament and Tendon Strains / Bucked Shins and Shin Splints

6. One Month Bleeder Protocol (EIPH)

7. Wound Healing / Infections and Abscesses

8. Stallion Fertility

1. Athletic Performance Preparation

“And they’re off at Churchill Downs…”

Does your horse need every cell in his body ready for the next big performance? Do you have a performance horse that deserves a chance to compete at their best? You’ve spent endless hours training your horse now help them feel fresh at the cellular level for their next performance. We have treated a number of horses for several days before their performance with good results, including a track record at Del Mar.

2. Athletic Performance Recovery / Shipping Recovery

Is your horse taking longer to recover after races or classes?

Did you have to ship your horse a long way to Southern California to compete? Do you want to give every cell in your horse’s body a chance to recover from the wear and tear of training and shipping before the next big performance? AHOT can shorten healing time and improve long-term outcomes.

Super Frolic training at Santa Anita Park

Super Frolic (G2 Winner) used Equine Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to extend his career and recover from a rigorous Graded Stakes racing (43 starts), training and shipping schedule.

These Grade 1 Champions are among the many that have used AHOT recover from the stresses of intercontinental shipping and training.

•Thor’s Echo (G1 Champion) Breeder’s Cup and Eclipse award Sprint Champion used Equine Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to recover from the stresses of intercontinental shipping from competing in the Dubai World Cup.

•Student Council (G1 Champion)

•Star Parade (G1 Champion)

•Designed for Luck (G1 Champion) has used Equine Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and several other Rehabilitation Therapies used at the Center to repeatedly recover from numerous injuries that are typically career ending.

•Willow O’ Wisp (Multiple Graded Stakes Champion) had trouble recovering after shipping to Hong Kong and back. Equine Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy allowed him to extend his career and recover from the stresses of EIPH and Intercontinental Shipping.

3. Post-Operative Recovery / Post Shock Wave Therapy Recovery

A number of Veterinary Surgeons in the Southern California area now prescribe post-operative Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. They refer their equine patients to our facility to enhance the post-surgical healing of the tissues and minimize the many complications that can occur after surgery and specialized procedures. They consider it the best post-surgical insurance that you can provide for your beloved and valuable horse. AHOT can shorten healing time and improve long-term outcomes.

 

 

4. Tissue Repair/Anti-Inflammatory/Chronic Conditions/Laminitis

Before After

Chronic conditions are prime candidates for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. For 2 months this “Capped Hock” did not respond to traditional treatments. When AHOT was added the bursitis responded and after 5 treatments the horse was able to return to training

AHOT can arrest Laminitis in the early stages of the process. AHOT can shorten healing time and improve long-term outcomes.

5. Ligament and Tendon Strains / Bucked Shins and Splints

Before After

Bowed tendons often require about a year to heal and usually produce significant amounts of scar tissue that impair the ability of the horse to return to strenuous performance at their previous level. These scans show the improvement in the initial stages of healing of the tendon in 6 weeks and 25 treatments. Without treatment the scans would not be expected to change much at this point. This race horse was able to eventually return to work and won multiple stake races after treatment at our Rehabilitation Center. AHOT can shorten healing time and improve long-term outcomes.

6. One Month Bleeder Protocol (EIPH)

Masterpiece is an example of an older race horse with a Bleeding problem. By timing the use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments after workouts and races his connections were able to keep Masterpiece winning at the Allowance level far longer than expected.

Jennifer Hawke produced her dissertation entitled “The Theories and Clinical Manifestations of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage and The Potential Use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as an Adjunctive Therapy in Mitigating the Condition in Thoroughbred racehorses: a case study of 10 Thoroughbred Racehorses in Kentucky, USA.” 10 horses were given 10 HBOT treatments in a month while on antibiotics, a bronchodilator and an anti-inflammatory. After return to training, 7 horses remained clear and stable. 3 horses had repeat bleeding episodes, 2 were Fillies and 1 was a Colt that was subsequently diagnosed with peritonitis.

7. Wound Healing / Infections and Abscesses

Before After

These pictures show the remarkable healing effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on an equine bite wound in a fetlock joint. Amazingly, this horse was able to return to work and race again. AHOT can shorten healing time and improve long-term outcomes.

8. Stallion and Mare Fertility

Mr. Prospector: The Sire of Sires

A Veterinarian wrote an article several years ago describing Equine HBOT treatment of some older stallions for Laminitis. He noticed an increase in fertility that coincided with the HBOT treatments. Subsequently, Winstar Farm in Kentucky treated their stallion “Kris S” with AHOT with significant improvement. The stallion’s covers in the breeding shed had declined, but after AHOT treatments his libido and sperm count increased and the health of his sperm cells improved.

AHOT has also improved mares’ fertility. There is little medical research on this topic, but many anecdotal stories. Five mares were treated one year that had been previously bred unsuccessfully even after multiple covers. They were treated with AHOT and four out of the five got into foal the next time they cycled. Although no one entirely understands why or how it worked, researchers suspect that there may have been a bacteria involved that was eliminated with the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as well as an improvement in the integrity, vascularity and therefore perfusion of the uterine lining. Another rehabilitation clinic in the US has also treated mares that were unable to conceive. One mare went to the breeding shed 16 times in two years without becoming pregnant. After three AHOT treatments she was bred and birthed a live, healthy foal.

The Equine and Animal Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Center of Southern California is located in the City of Bradbury, about 7 miles from the Santa Anita Horseracing Track. For directions: Office Telephone: 626-303-6209, Geoff Pfeifer(Manager) 310- 487- 4654 email equinehyperbaric@yahoo.com